Crowdfunding exploded in 2014, with $16Bin funds raised across hundreds of platforms. But according to Richard Swart,one of the top thought leaders in crowdfunding and alternative finance, 2014 was merely the tip of a massive crowdfunding iceberg that’s forecasted to swell to $300B in funds raised by 2020. While crowdfunding picks up momentum in general, equity crowdfunding, which allows private companies to raise funds online in exchange for equity, is the fastest growing category in particular. Until recently, only public companies with extensive operating histories and millions of dollars in revenue could raise capital from the public. Private investing was an opaque, exclusive club that included only institutional investors or ultra-high net-worth individuals.
